Straight out of the gate, PBS beat owner Robert Thompson's projections by 100 percent. As a result, he says, "We were too busy to handle the size of our menu." More staff had to be hired; the menu had to be refocused. Labor-intensive dishes like spaghetti and meatballs were replaced with easier-to-execute fare, such as braised short ribs.

Thompson isn't alone in making changes several months in. Menus at Ace and Tom's Urban 24 were also tweaked several months after opening to address what was and wasn't working.

If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.

SHOW ME HOW

Newsletters

SUCCESS!

You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!

A good review should give you a realistic picture of what to expect in terms of food, service and ambience, so you can decide if it's a place you want to go. With so much under scrutiny and subject to change in the opening months, a review written too early simply wouldn't be fair -- not to chefs, not to readers.

Gretchen Kurtz has worked as a writer for 25 years; during that time she's stomped grapes in Napa, eaten b'stilla in Fez, and baked with Buddy Valastro, aka the Cake Boss. Her work has appeared in publications including Boulevard (Paris), Diversion, the New York Times and Westword. Our restaurant critic since 2012, she loves helping you decide where to eat and drink tonight.